Multiplication

Roseanna Mark
Third Grade

Common Core Standards:

The standards for our multiplication unit are addressed below. These standards are directly from
the Ohio department of education under third grade standards, in the multiplication mathematics
section.

Expectations for Learning In Grade 2, students developed fluency within 100 using addition and
subtraction. In Grade 3, students develop fluency with products of two one-digit numbers and
multiplication and division within 100 (without remainders) using strategies and properties of
operations. In [Link].2, students fluently add and subtract within 1,000. In Grade 4, students will
develop fluency with multi-digit multiplication and division using multi-digit dividends.
(Fluency is the ability to use efficient, accurate, and flexible methods for computing. Fluency
does not imply timed tests).
ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDINGS • Fluency means being efficient, accurate, and flexible with
strategies. • There is an inverse relationship between multiplication and division.
MATHEMATICAL THINKING • Compute using strategies within 100. • Compute using mental
strategies with products of two one-digit numbers. • Recognize some strategies may be more
efficient than others. • Explore and generalize concepts based on patterns and structures.
INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS • Explore number relationships and look for patterns. • Apply the
conceptual understanding of properties to multiplication and division. • Use strategies to multiply
and divide within 100 (without remainders). • Use efficient mental strategies to compute
accurately and flexibly with products of two one-digit numbers. • Explain why some strategies
may be more efficient than others. • Encourage the use of mental strategies which may include
the following: decomposing factors; using the relationship between multiplication and division;
creating equivalent but easier or known products, doubles, and properties of operations, etc

Lesson Summary:

Our lesson will include all things about multiplication including: definitions, explanations,
practice problems, and a test at the end. We will include a pre-assessment so I can see what
students know. We’ll do fun multiplication activities in class and online as we go through this
unit.

Estimated Duration:

Our multiplication unit will take about 2 hours or 110 minutes. We’ll most likely split this lesson
into two or three math periods depending on their pre-assessment scores.
Commentary:
I plan on trying to make the lesson as fun as possible by using online multiplication games and
the kahoot game online, to try and help them with practice problems. During the lessons
however, I will try to explain clearly and demonstrate as well as provide in class paper/pencil
activities with practice problems. Some of these will be word problems, and others will be just
simpler problems. I will get students hooked into the lesson by using fun games, and also doing
multiplication activities with food. (maybe making an array of fruit snacks for them to multiply
then they can eat them after the lesson).
I think some students may find it hard to grasp connections between multiplying and addition.
Such as multiplying a number by to for example 4 times 2 will be the same as adding the number
to itself 4 plus 4. Something that may also be confusing could be identifying what the
multiplication problem is in certain word problems, but I’ll make sure to help students with
subjects they’re not understanding.

Instructional Procedures:

Day 1:
First 10 minutes: I’ll introduce multiplication, provide the definition, what it means to multiply.
After we define multiplication we’ll move into simple problems and how to multiply. We’ll start
it off easy with simple problems. We’ll use pictures and images to show array’s and help use the
definition of multiplication and apply it to the problems we look at. We’ll draw out own pictures
on paper for the problems we do. For example if we do the problem 2x3 we’ll draw two groups
of three. The students will get to choose what colors they use for these pictures so they’re more
interested in the lesson. Day 1 will mostly be focused on grasping the idea of multiplication and
applying the definition and getting the basics. We’ll also be discussing different methods to
multiply such as pictures/drawings, arrays, and other methods. During day 1 we will do our food
activity, I’ll make sure to provide a snack all students will be able to enjoy. We’ll lay out our
snacks on a paper towel to describe one of our problems. The students will learn to multiply
using the food as “objects” For example we’ll line up gummy bears into a 4x2 picture. They’ll be
able to see that 4x2=8 because they’re are a total of 8 gummy bears present. After they get the
answer they’ll be able to eat their gummy bears.

Day 2:
On day 2 we’ll open with a recap from day 1. We’ll begin by going over the definition of
multiplication and start off with some practice problems. To do these problems they may draw
pictures, solve it in their heads, or whatever methods we discussed the day before. After we do
the practice problems, we’ll move into some more complicated parts of multiplication. We’ll
discuss different types of problems such as equal group problems, arrays/area problems, and
compare problems. Many of these will be written as word problems, this way they’ll be able to
see within a word problem what numbers to multiply and how to find the multiplication problem
they need to do within a word problem. At the end of day two we’ll do a kahoot game to see
what they’ve understood during the unit. The kahoot will give them plenty of time to solve the
problems and will be a fun game for them to see what they’ve learned thus far.

Pre-Assessment:
Our pre-assessment for our multiplication unit will be a test. The test will show all the different
types of multiplication problems, simple problems to see what they know. Every student will get
the same test and this will test what they know.

Scoring Guidelines:
I will grade the pre-tests by using check marks on what they got right. The test will not be
worth any real points, and all students will not be graded on the answers they got
right/wrong. The pre-test is for me to see what they know about multiplication so I can
alter the unit/assignments if needed. At the end of the test there will be a question about
how much they understood on the test. This way students can assess themselves and tell
me what they really understood, and what they didn’t, or they can let me know if they
didn’t understand anything. This lets me know what level my students are at.

Post-Assessment:
The post-assessment will be a test. It will be a mix of everything we’ve discussed over the
multiplication unit. This will allow me to see what the students have learned during our unit. I’ll
provide a mix of all the types of problems, and students will solve them in the different methods
we’ve discussed.

Scoring Guidelines:
I will grade the students' test with points and a percentage. Each question will be worth
points and all of those points will add up to a total grade. With grading if the students
gets the answer wrong, but shows work they can earn partial points for the question, same
thing goes for if they get the right answer, but their work doesn’t necessarily add up.

Differentiated Instructional Support

Describe how instruction can be differentiated (changed or altered) to meet the needs of gifted or
accelerated students: For gifted students who may be more advanced in the multiplication I can
help them begin learning the commutative and associative properties of multiplication and give
them more advanced work and activities. For the kahoot game, I can make a separate kahoot for
the students who may be more advanced in this area, so it will be more of a challenge for them.
Tests will also be altered for them and so will class activities.

Discuss additional activities you could do to meet the needs of students who might be struggling
with the material: For students who are struggling we could do extra online games of
multiplication if they’re interested in games and will help them focus. Or I can give them more
practice problems, or do some one-on-one time with them and try to see what they don’t
understand. I can reach out to the parents about one-on-one meeting times as well.

Extension
[Link] This website
provides students with extra practice worksheets. I can print these out for them to take home or
parents can print these out if students need more practice. I find that sometimes students like to
do practice problems on pencil and paper so this is a great resource for students who need some
extra practice problems.

[Link] For students who like to play games, these are

great educational games that contain multiplication problems within the games so they can
practice they’re simple problems while having fun.

[Link] For students who are having trouble grasping

the ideas we discussed in class, this is a good introduction video students can watch for extra
help. Although this is stuff we went over on day 1, it may be a good refresher or a good resource
for those who don’t understand or are struggling.

Homework Options and Home Connections

Although I may send home worksheets for students to do some of our homework may be online.
I will give homework through google classroom. Google classroom is a great resource. I can
create assignments/quizzes there and they can do them from home on the google classroom
website. Once they’re in google classroom they can log in and join using the class code I give
them, then they can do their online homework.

Interdisciplinary Connections
Our multiplication unit can be connected to using addition as well as our division unit that will
come later. We’ll learn that multiplying is kind of like a shortcut to addition. Instead of adding 4
plus 4 to get 8. They learn that 2 times 4 is also 8. Division is also something we’ll discuss later,
but students will learn that multiplication and divisions are opposites. So since 4 times 2 is 8 we
can assume that 8 divided by 2 would be 4. They’ll learn to make these connections as time goes
on. We’ll make the connection to addition on day two of our unit, and make the connection to
division when we begin our division unit in class.

Materials and Resources:

For teachers I will use the smart board in class to go over some assignments.
I can set up homework on google classroom
I will create kahoot games for them so they can study at home and we can
play the games in class.
We’ll use snacks for the snack activity (I’ll clear this snack with parents and
avoid foods that may contain allergens.

For students Students will need papers and pencils for in class activities as well as some
colored pencils, markers, which I will also help to provide
Students will need access to a computer or Ipad to complete some homework
assignments as well as go to some practice websites I listed earlier.

Key Vocabulary
Some key vocabulary words for our multiplication unit will be as follows:
Multiplication
Factors
Product
Arrays
Equal Problems
Compare Problems

Additional Notes
Even though our multiplication unit won’t last very long, multiplication will be something they
use forever. Students need to make sure they understand the basics of multiplication as it will
help us in our division unit, and it’ll also be something they need to know when they advance to
the next grade. Multiplication will be used in many other math assignments, units, and activities,
so it’s important students are understanding the basics to multiplication first.